Searchlight Sleeping
by Obvious Ghost
Summary: They're... gone. All of them. Missing. Where do you start looking, in a town full of secrets?
1. Left Behind

I think this works well on its own, but I really would like to continue it. No promises, though.

[]

I flip through the pages.

**-have discovered-**

**-not the only-**

**-reported that the creature-**

**-afraid, but I cannot avoid it-**

**-something is very wrong-**

**-yellow, glowing in the dark-**

**-dangerous and should not be approached-**

Nothing.

**-will attempt to locate-**

**-one of the many-**

**-seen as a threat, but I believe-**

**-never been explored before-**

**-the last chance to find it-**

I flip through the pages.

I flip through the words, the secrets, the mysteries.

Just a word- that's all I need. "Vanishings." "Disappearances."

Nothing. Nothing that could help me.

I slam the journal down on the bed in front of me. Useless.

I know that's not true, but I'm not- I'm not thinking straight.

Footsteps, echoing back and forth on the creaking wooden boards of the attic. Who's making that noise?

With a start, I realize I'm the one pacing. A straight line, between the two beds. Over and over.

I can't think. I can't do anything, but I have to-

Have to... what?

My head is pounding. I can't deal with this. No one can.

I can't go back down there; but I'm here, facing the exit, hand on the doorknob. I can't go down there.

I can't. I have to. I won't.

Somehow, I'm walking down the steps. One foot at a time. Slowly. Deep breaths. The first memory hits.

_"Bro, bro, bro!" She's at the top, eyes wide as ever, wearing a white sweater that reaches to her knees. It has a picture of a smiling whale on the front, but that's nothing compared to the grin spreading across her face. "I made a way to get downstairs faster! Look!"_

_She's balancing on a mattress, holding two pillows above her head, pushing off the back wall. "I AM A TRENDSETTER!" she shrieks, riding the bumps of each step before collapsing in a heap at the bottom. "Oof!" She bounces up, smiling even more. "That was the best!"_

My legs buckle. For a second, I nearly fall; but I brace both hands against the walls. The stairway is spinning, lurching, trying to get rid of me. My shallow breathing is too loud.

No, that's not it. Everything else is too quiet.

Shaking, I make my way down the last few steps. The hallway stretches in front of me, somehow bigger and more empty than it was yesterday.

_"Dude!" He races through the entryway, skidding to a stop when he sees me. "You'll never believe it, dude!" He's holding his hat in his hands, shoving it towards me with an excited look on his face. "This crazy little squirrel dude's totally bonkers!"_

_"Hey hey! HEY!" The voice sounds like it's coming from the lobby. "How about instead of letting mindless, dirty animals loose in the Shack, you take care of the ones out in the gift shop! Their money's not gonna scam itself!"_

_His brow furrows, and he looks genuinely confused. "But Mr. Pines, isn't that... illegal or something?"_

I try to stop thinking. Just move forward, into the lobby. Try to... try not to...

_"Oh, hey, man! What's up?" She's just sitting there, behind the counter, flipping through a magazine. Looks up. Smiles._

I can't breathe. I fall forward, scraping my hands on the uneven boards.

_"Somethin' wrong?" She tilts her head, and her cap slides down one ear. That look, the one where she squints a bit and one of the corners of her mouth turns up in a half-smile, like she knows I'm not okay, she knows that I need her help but she doesn't mind and it's fine because she's here and I can talk to her and everything's gonna be-_

She's not here.

NO ONE'S HERE.

A cry of pain slips out. I try to stop, but it keeps going, getting louder and higher and more real. There's a splinter, digging into my knee. That's the reason. That's why I'm crying.

Yeah. That's it.

My eyes are closed, and I'm sobbing now, and I can't stand, I can't get up.

"Where are you?" It makes no sense, but I say it anyway. Again, louder. More and more, until my throat's raw and burning, and I can't yell it anymore.

I get to my feet, wiping my eyes with a sleeve. My mind is just blank, not focusing on anything as I walk around the room. Cash register. T-shirts. Vending machine.

Door.

There's something pinned to the door. I don't know how I missed it. Getting closer, I see it's a picture of us. All five of us. Smiling, laughing, like nothing's wrong in the world.

I gently pull the photo away. Something makes me turn it over.

My breath catches again. The writing's too sloppy, written too quickly to tell who it's from.

**DIPPER**

**I BELIEVE IN YOU**


	2. Help Wanted

Wow, I'm so glad people liked this! Sorry I haven't been updated it yet; to be honest, I don't actually know where this story is going, long-term. I don't know why Dipper's best friends/family vanished, and I haven't quite decided who wrote the note (but it's definitely either Stan, Wendy, Soos, or Mabel, if that wasn't clear).

I think I thanked the people I could message, but to the guests: Thanks a ton!

I'm gonna continue the story, that's for sure. So if anyone has ideas they don't mind sharing, I'd love to hear what you think happened. Why is Dipper the only one left, like one of the reviews said? Who- or what- is the problem here?

I've decided that if an entire paragraph is in italics, it's gonna be a flashback. I'll probably have a lot of those. I really liked writing about the other characters- hopefully, I did a decent job of making them funny- but I don't want to actually have them enter the story. Not yet, at least.

For some reason, I've realized I don't use the characters' names much. Seriously, in the first chapter, I think there were maybe two names. I think I like to see how clear I can make it without referencing names every five seconds. If that bugs you guys, let me know and I'll try to do better.

[]

The phone is ringing, and this is a bad idea.

"Hello?"

Yeah, this is definitely a bad idea.

"Hey, who is this?"

_She's sneering, lip curled up. "Yeah, that's right. You need your brother to stand up for you, of course." She laughs. "Why don't you go home, where you won't embarrass anyone else?"_

_"Stop it!" I yell angrily. "Leave her alone- what'd she ever do to you?!"_

_"Dip. Please." My sister puts her hand on my shoulder, smiling. "Don't worry about it." She looks up at her tormentor. "I hope you have a really nice weekend, Pacifica."_

_My jaw drops. The other girl blinks, confused. "Yeah- well- same to you!" she exclaims, not noticing that it wasn't even an insult. Turning on her heel, she saunters away._

_"What?"_ _Mabel's grinning at me. "You've got that I-dunno-what's-going-on face!"_

_"How..." I throw up my hands. "How do you do that?"_

_"I know, right?" She laughs, pumping her fists in the air. "It's like I'm beating up anger monsters with kindness explosions! Ba-BOOM!"_

_"Mabel, I'm serious!" But she got to me, and I grin without realizing it._

_"Haha, there it is!" She pokes my face, and I reach up to swipe her hand away, but we're both laughing. "There's the elusive Dippersmile!"_

_"Really, though. How do you keep smiling and being... y'know... Mabel to everyone, even when they don't like you? Isn't Pacifica like your nemesis or something?"_

_Her smile softens for a moment. "Well, yeah... it's tough sometimes. But I think when people are being mean to everyone else, maybe they just need someone to be nice to them. I'm pretty sure it cancels out the meanness." She pauses, thoughtful. "Like... when Soos covered those gross nachos with chocolate. I couldn't even taste the bad flavors anymore!"_

_"I could." I make a face. "But this isn't some after-school special, Mabel. Have you seen her parents? They're constantly telling her how great she is. She's got it pretty good."_

_"Huh." She tilts her head. "So that means I should be mean to her, right?"_

_"What? No, I mean-"_

_She grabs my hat. "Gotcha!"_

_"Mabel!" I grab for it, but she's already hiding it behind her back._

_"Nope!" She's using her 'stern' expression, which looks more like she's making a face to make a baby laugh. "You don't get it back until you promise to be nicer to Pacifica!"_

_My mouth is hanging open again. This is NOT how I thought she would react. If anything, I thought I would end up telling Pacifica to be nicer to my sister._

_When exactly did I become the bad guy here? "I promise," I offer lamely.  
_

_She flips the hat back to me. "Yes! Victory!" She starts spinning in a circle, still cheering. "Everyone's gonna be friends thanks to Mabel!"_

_A face springs up in my mind. It isn't Pacifica. _

_Oh no._

I swallow hard, but don't hang up. It's time to make good on a promise. "This is Dipper."

The other end is silent for a moment. "Whaddya want, kid?"

The Mystery Shack telephone nearly slips out of my hands. "I- I gotta ask you something."

A heavy sigh, like he's really bored. "Fire away."

"Have you heard from Wendy since yesterday?"

He's gonna kill me. I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have said that, I-

"You've got some nerve, you know that?" His voice is low. Dangerous. "You think you can ask stuff like that? After that stunt you pulled with the backwards song?"

"I know, but-"

He cuts in. "Look, kid. She _hates_ me because of you. Stay out of my life."

"She's missing," I blurt out.

Nothing. I keep going. "This morning, everyone was gone. My sister, Stan, Soos- they're all missing."

Still, just silence. "Look, I don't know what to do, alright?" My voice is getting higher, and I can't stop it. "I need your-" I stop before I say 'help'.

I hear him cough. "Kid, if this is some kind of joke-"

I violently shake my head, then remember he can't see me. "No. No, of course not."

"Alright. Did you call the police?"

"Yeah. They're on their way over; I don't-" I stop again. No. NO. I will not say that. It's the most childish, scared-little-kid idea I can think of.

"Don't what?"

It tumbles out before I realize it. "I don't want to be alone when they get here."

I can't believe it. If he thought I was just a stupid kid before...

I wince, waiting for him to laugh. Instead, when his voice comes back, it sounds different. Strained. Worried. Like he's just as afraid as I am.

"I'll be right there." He hangs up.

Taking a deep breath, I put the phone back on the hook. I just... confided in my worst enemy. Not only that, but with everyone at the Shack gone, he was the _first person_ I thought of for help.

I would laugh if I wasn't so worried. Maybe my sister was rubbing off on me more than I thought.


	3. Not Easy

Whoa. I asked, and you guys absolutely delivered. I'm loving the ideas you had in the reviews; again, thanks to all the guests who had awesome ideas! (Account people, I'm pretty sure I messaged everyone and thanked you; if I didn't, let me know.) I'll name-drop you specifically, but not till I get to that point in the story; otherwise, people could look at your review and guess what's gonna happen.

Wow, that was paranoid. Sorry.

Maybe it's cliche, but reviews really do make it easier to update. When other people are excited, I'm more excited, or something. Like a giant circuit board of excitement. Or one of those bird-desk things that bobs its head down, then swings back up. I think I'm rambling again.

[]

_"Uh... Dude? Little help here?"_

_I turn around. Soos is straddling the highest point of the roof, trying not to fall down either side. "Soos! What the-" I run over, trying to climb the worn shingles without jamming splinters into my hands._

_He grunts. "Just a sec- I think I can-" He swings one leg over, then loses his grip completely and tumbles down towards the platform._

_He bowls me over before I can get out of the way. Standing, he brushes some dirt off of his green shirt. "Nailed it." He smiles._

_"Ugh." Groaning, I slowly get up from where he knocked me over. "Soos, what are you even doing?" I snap. "You never come up here!"_

_He frowns, a little hurt. "Well, I saw you stormin' off all angry-like, and I figured maybe you could use some help."_

_I sigh, walking back to the edge of the platform. "Why does everyone think I need help?" I mutter, sitting down so my legs are hanging over the edge._

_I can't see him, but he probably has that nervous look on his face, touching his index fingers together like he always does when he's worried about something. "Well... uh..."_

_For a few seconds, I don't say anything. "Sorry, Soos," I mumble. "It's not your fault, I guess."_

_His quick, 'heh-heh' laugh sounds out behind me. "Well, that's a relief, dude!" He heaves himself down next to me, looking off into the distance._

_Folding my hands, I look down. The rooftop was always... I don't know, the place I went to be alone. Sometimes Wendy would be up here, but now that there's someone else, I don't really know what to say._

_"S'really something, huh?" I glance up. Soos is pointing off towards the forest._

_No- above it. The sunset. For all my exploring, all my studying of this town, I hardly ever remember to look up. The sky is wildly different from back home; up here, I can see the sun, dimmed behind thin red clouds, slowly sinking into the trees miles away.  
_

_Moving my head back, I gaze up at the first few stars, barely gleaming in the faded blue twilight. The orange of the sunset meets the dark blue about halfway, and it creates a color I don't even know how to describe._

_With a start, I realize Soos is waiting for a response. "Yeah," I say quickly. "Pretty amazing." My voice breaks on 'maz', but he doesn't seem to care._

_He splays his hands out on the roof behind him, leaning back. "So, what were you dudes arguing about?"_

_I grab a pebble from next to me. "Stan's just- I mean, he's being so..." Tossing it into the driveway, I shake my head._

_He chuckles. "Yeah, I know. He's good at that."_

_We're both quiet for a while. I watch the goat step out of the trees' shadows, cautiously walking towards the spot where the pebble fell. "It's not just him, though," I say quietly. "Whenever I'm trying to get anything done, everyone's always asking if they can help."  
_

_"Oh, yeah. I see your problem."_

_Sarcasm? From Soos? "Shut up, man," I grin and punch his arm. "Y'know what I mean."_

_"I think so, dude." He adjusts his hat. "Stan's always giving you loads of jobs 'n stuff, but people always butt in and try to do it themselves."_

_"Exactly!" I drum my feet against the side of the building. "It's like they assume I can't do anything. Stan told me to stock the postcards in the gift shop, then asked if I knew where the ladder was."_

_He winces. "Ouch."_

_Folding my arms, I scowl and look off to the side. "Even Wendy sometimes; she still treats me like a little kid. If I'm going out to the woods or whatever, she'll try to come with so I don't get lost." I look back at Soos. "Can you believe it? And Mabel- half the time, she acts like she's the one who has to look out for me. I just- ugh, it's so annoying."  
_

_He rubs his chin. "Well, you know you can take care of yourself. And I know it, so what's the problem?"  
_

_In my mind, the answer is obvious. "I want them to know it! I wanna prove it!"_

_Soos laughs again. "I think I get it, but d'you really think you'd be better off without your friends?"_

_I look at him like he just asked me to jump off the roof. "What? Of course not!"_

_He shrugs. "Sounds t'me like you want people to help you less, dude. Or, like, not at all."_

_"No, but-"  
_

_"Here's what I think, bro." He looks a little more serious now. "Not letting your buds help you out? That doesn't make you manly or something. I mean, look at Wendy's crazy dad! D'you really think that guy ever asks for help?"_

_I smirk a little. "Doubt it."_

_"Exactly. Now, here's the question; d'you wanna be like that dude? That kind'a manly?"_

_Shifting, I look down again. "No, I guess not." I suddenly notice how cold it's gotten. "It's not easy, though."  
_

_He sighs. "I hear ya, bro. Not easy."_

[]

"And when exactly did you notice they were gone?"

"This morning," I say, trying not to let my voice shake. We're standing on the porch of the Shack. Blubs is writing in a small notebook, occasionally looking up to ask me questions. His partner is looking for clues inside.

In other words, what I've been doing all day. He's not going to find anything.

I've never thought of Blubs's voice as intimidating. But for some reason, right now, I can barely talk. I've dealt with both policemen before with no problem; but now, I'm alone.

Stan should be here. In front of the Shack, talking to them. He's the one who should be facing the sunglasses, the uniforms, the-

"Son!" I snap out of my thoughts. "I asked you a question!"

My throat is dry. I can barely focus. "...What?" I manage.

Blubs mutters something in frustration. "I said, did you contact your parents?"

"I tried." I look towards the open door of the Shack, finding it easier than looking at the man asking the questions. "The phone's not working."

"Hmf." He grunts, shaking his head. "I'm not surprised; seems every phone line outta the city's goin' down after that storm a few days back."

Just like that, I'm back in my own worried thoughts. It's almost better that I couldn't reach our parents; how could I tell them? How could I admit that, under my watch, their daughter had somehow vanished?

"All right," grumbles Blubs. "What about that other girl; Corduroy, right? What'd her family say?"

I haven't even called them.

I haven't called them.

She could be home. Sick.

She could still be here. How could I have forgotten?

I guess I say some of that out loud, because Blubs practically drops the notebook. "You didn't ask them?" he booms. "Then we need-"

I'm distracted, looking over his shoulder. The policeman turns as well.

Dirt bike. Red, with silver trim. Barreling down the driveway, kicking up a long, thin cloud of dust.

Robbie V. skids to a stop, nearly jumping off the bike and letting it drop to the ground.

My reaction is strange. I was talking to him minutes ago, but I'm still... angry. Just seeing him, scowling, hoodie pulled up, hands jammed in his pockets, I'm reminded of all the reasons I don't like him. The reasons I shouldn't trust him.

Then he pulls the hood down. I don't know exactly what I'm seeing in his face- fear, concern, worry- but it's different.

"I already talked to 'em," he says in a low voice. "She's missing."

My throat tightens up, just like earlier.

[]

We spend the rest of the day at the Shack. The policemen are still searching for anything that could help us, any clue as to where they've gone.

I'm standing in the attic, poring over the journal again. I don't know why, but I keep coming back to it. Hoping that there'll be some obvious hint that I overlooked.

One page in particular has been haunting me.

**-Unfortunately, my suspicions have been confirmed. I'm being watched. I must hide this book before _He_ finds it. Remember, in Gravity Falls there is no one you can trust. Trust no one!-**

I should have said something.

The sudden realization leaves me breathless. I could have warned everyone. Told them that it wasn't safe here.

I could have... saved them.

I stumble, leaning against the attic wall. It's my fault. I was warned, and I didn't listen. And now, the people I love are paying the price.

"Hey, kid." Robbie is standing in the entryway.

Luckily, I'm between him and the book. Slowly, without moving too much, I close it and slide it under some pillows. "Yeah?"

He rubs the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "Look, um... they didn't find anything."

"Great. Thanks." My tone was probably unnecessary, but I didn't care.

He scowls again. "Let me finish." Rubbing his eyes, he says quickly, "You'll need a place to stay and my dad said if you want you can stay with us until this is all over 'cause you shouldn't stay here by yourself."

I'm actually speechless.

He must think the silence is a rejection, because he blurts out, "Look, kid, this isn't exactly my idea of a great plan either! But-" He shrugs his shoulders, looking up at the ceiling. "All of this just... sucks. The whole thing's weird, and we don't really have any better ideas."

I turn around. "I'll be fine."

He's quiet for a few seconds. "Alright." His footsteps echo as he trudges down the stairway.

The attic is silent again. I stare at the wall for a while.

Darn you, Soos.

[]

When I step out of the Shack, Robbie's standing next to one of the police cars, talking to Durland. They both turn towards me as I start across the lawn.

I'm carrying a plastic garbage bag over my shoulder. Setting it on the ground, I glance at Robbie. "Um... I think, uh, if it's alright, I... don't wanna stay in an empty tourist trap."

He snorts, but doesn't look angry. "Figures," he mutters. He opens one of the doors, climbing inside.

Durland grins. "Well, welcome aboard! Guess we can git goin'!"

I suddenly make the connection in my head. "Whoa." Looking back to Robbie, I notice a few similarities. The ears, the nose... huh. Learn something new every day.

Any other situation, I'd laugh. This kid, the guy who vandalized the water tower, who broke into a convenience store (although I guess I did that too), and actually tried to beat me up at one point, was the son of literally half the law enforcement in the whole town.

I half expect Mabel to be giggling next to me. I can picture her leaning over and whispering, "He must be so proud."

Smiling, I heft the bag back up, getting in the police car.

Robbie raises his eyebrows. "This isn't summer camp, kid. That's all you're bringing?"

I shrug. "Well, I don't need much. I'm coming back as soon as we find them."

He faces the front. "Yeah. Of course."

I don't think he fell for the confidence in my voice.

Durland starts the engine, whistling a tune. I wonder how he can stay so calm when someone's missing.

I also wonder if it's hereditary. "Robbie?"

He doesn't look at me. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you worried?"

He leans back, closing his eyes. "Shut up, kid," he groans. "Just... stop it."

"Sorry." I look out the window as the Mystery Shack fades from view.

[]

Props to Kaitlyn Franks for the staying-at-Robbie's-house idea. Also, who's excited for the finale next week?

Speaking of that, I feel like I should clarify something. Right now, I actually do have a plan for how the ending of this will go down; why the Shack gang are missing, and so on. However, it will have a lot to do with the journals and vaguely mysterious things that we've all been wondering about for so long. Here's the problem; watching the preview for the finale, it looks like a lot of those questions might actually be answered. If they are, it'll throw this story completely out of whack.

So does anyone mind if we pretend my story is set after the Boyz Crazy episode, so I can still make up my own mysteries if I want? Pretending the Gideon Rises stuff hasn't happened? Cool? Cool.

Also, I sincerely apologize to anyone who was hoping Blubs and Durland would be funny. I tried, but just couldn't get the tone right.


	4. Old Habits

This story is more popular than all my other ones combined, so I figure I should update it more often. Sound fair?

Thanks again for all the reviews and such, guys. You're the best!

I was gonna jokingly say this chapter contains explicit Dipper/Robbie shipping, but I realized that, if readers are at all like me, they might see it and immediately leave before they realize it's not real. That would be bad. So no jokes.

[]

_"Dipper, I gotta tell you something." Wendy's leaning against the side of the golf cart, staring intently at her cell phone._

_I'm sitting on the front steps of the Shack, holding some tasteless off-brand energy drink or other. "Hm? What?"_

_"It's important, man. You gotta remember it."_

_Curious, I look over at her, noticing her frown. "What is it?"_

_She suddenly drops the phone to the ground, letting her head swing back and collide with the cart's roof. "Never, EVER get a cell. Don't do it. Not worth it."_

_"Oh, yeah." I laugh. "Radiation'll melt my brain, right?"_

_She laughs, too, and the afternoon light suddenly seems a little bit brighter. "For sure. That, or all your TV shows."_

_A couple of birds swoop down, landing on the cart's flag. Their quiet chirping cancels out the midday silence. "Naw, man," Wendy sighs. "The phone's not really the problem. My friends are just crazy."_

_Interested, I set the can down on the steps. "Crazy how?" I ask carefully. I don't really know anything about her friends, but hey, it's another chance to talk to her._

_She reaches down to retrieve the phone. "I dunno, they're just so... dramatic about everything." Brushing off the screen, she starts texting. "I mean, Tambry had some kinda fight with Lee, so they're both complaining about how awful the other one is, and Thompson doesn't wanna pick sides, and no one has any idea why Nate won't answer his phone..." _

_"Wow." I grimace. "See, this is why I don't hang out with teenagers."_

_She frowns again, looking up at me. Not full-on mad, just irritated. "Come on, man. These guys're my friends."_

_Bad joke. I take off my hat and flip it around in my hands, feeling awkward. "Sorry. I didn't mean to... you know, like, insult them, or anything." Great, now I'm stammering. Classy._

_"Hm." She glances back down, then sighs and puts the phone in her pocket. One of the birds flies away. "I wish it wasn't so complicated all the time."_

_I move to a higher step, stretching my legs out more. "Well, why don't you let them deal with it?"_

_A gust of wind blasts through the trees, creating a sound that interrupts me. "Sorry?" _

_I clear my throat. "Maybe you don't have to fix it or anything. Y'know, it doesn't really sound like your problem."_

_Her eyes dart back up. Eyebrows lowered, mouth slightly open... somehow, the look of surprise on her face hurts more than when she looked annoyed. "Not my... of course it's my problem! I gotta make this right, Dip." She's not smiling when she calls me by my nickname._

_"Well..." Nervous, I break eye contact and look down. I idly start picking at a loose thread on my vest. "It's not like you did anything wrong, though."_

_Her voice is a little softer. "Yeah, but that doesn't matter." She kicks the ground in front of her, raising a small cloud of dust. "Besides, I don't need a reason to help them out. I just... feel like if I can, then I should, y'know?" _

_I'm about to apologize again when she smiles. "Also, I dunno if you've noticed, but my friends are kind of idiots. They can use someone keeping them in line."_

_As I'm laughing, she plants her hands on the roof of the cart and swings herself in. _

_I quickly get to my feet. "Hey, Wendy?"_

_She pauses, about to start up the engine. "Yeah?"_

_"Just, um... sorry."_

_With a small grin, she waves me off. "No biggie, man."_

[]

I've never seen the sun rise before. I mean, I've looked at 'a sunrise', but I've never watched the whole thing happen, beginning to end. It's pretty amazing, really.

I just wish I was watching it for a different reason.

We're sitting at a small table in Robbie's cramped kitchen, eating a brightly colored, sugary cereal that makes my tongue sting. The dawn light is completely illuminating the room; the actual sunbeams are landing across from me, on Robbie's face. Or rather, the hood that's covering his face.

He hasn't said anything, but I'd guess that, like me, he wasn't able to sleep for more than a few hours.

I twist the spoon around in the bowl, mind wandering. What to actually do? No way would I stay here all day. The thought of looking for clues on my own had crossed my mind, but... where would I start?

"Hey, kid." His voice sounds scratched, as if he's been yelling.

I don't look up. "Yeah."

He's gently tapping his fingers on the table's surface. "You sometimes- well, you and your sister used to investigate stuff, right?"

Used to. I don't notice how hard I'm squeezing the spoon until I let go. "Used to?" I ask quietly.

As if he didn't hear me, he continues. "Maybe we could, y'know... try to find out something about why they disappeared."

"No way." He pulls the hood down, shocked. With a start, I realize that I said exactly what I was thinking. Right away, even. It just... slipped out.

His mouth is moving, his eyebrows, too, but all he can manage is, "...Why not?"

Part of me is wondering the same thing. _Why not?_ A certain conversation with Wendy is playing itself out in my mind.

But the rest of me is exhausted and angry. The rest of me is suddenly remembering the times he laughed at me, mocked me, nearly attacked me. The way he would treat me in front of Wendy. So I stand up, put my hands on the table, and look him in the eye.

"I don't need your help," I say forcefully. "We wouldn't work well together, so it's better if I do this alone."

Any doubt is erased when, in a split second, his expression changes from total surprise to that awful sneer. "Fine." He pushes his chair back. "Later, kid."

Pulling the hood back up, he shuffles to the front door. I carry the bowl across the room, still fuming.

A thought hits me. Robbie wasn't offering help... he was asking for mine.

Doesn't matter. I shake my head, leaving the dishes in the sink.

Robbie reaches to push open the door, then steps back when Durland walks in.

"Dad, I'm gonna go..." he stops when he sees his father's expression. "What's wrong?"

The policeman looks from him to me, mouth set in a tight line. "We got another call," he says slowly.

No. This can't be good; my throat is closing up again, and I have to fight to keep the panic down. "Who-" I barely whisper, before realizing I can't finish.

Robbie glances at me, then back to his father. "What happened."

Durland takes a deep breath. "Gideon Gleeful's parents are missing."


	5. Anger Monsters

Ladies and gentlemen. Gravity Falls has officially been renewed for a Season 2.

Onwards, Aoshima.

[]

_"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I won't do it again."__ I try to open the car door, but it's locked._

_Stan drums his fingers on the steering wheel, glancing up at the Mystery Shack sign. "Just a sec, kid. Think it's time me and you had a little talk."_

_"You said so yourself. It's late." For no particular reason, I strain at the handle again. "I should be in bed."_

_He frowns. "Doesn't seem like you're takin' this seriously."  
_

_"I just don't know what the big deal is," I mutter, shifting in the car's seat._

_"You just... you can't keep tryin' to do everything alone. What if you went and got yourself lost, huh?" He's looking at me, but I pointedly turn towards the window. "We wouldn't know you were gone 'till morning, and by then it could be too-"  
_

_With a snort, I cut him off. "Too late? What, you think I'm gonna get myself killed out there? Don't trust me to take care of myself?"_

_"It's not about trust, kid!" he yells. Startled, I shrink back as he continues. "Like it or not, your folks asked me to look after you two, so I'm not gonna let anything happen. When ya get back to California, you can wander around forests in the middle of the night as much as ya want, but not here, alright?!"  
_

_Slowly, I feel resentment building up. "Oh, 'cause you care so much about us," I say bitterly._

_Face red, he stares at me. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_I'm too tired to filter everything I'm thinking, so it all rushes out. "We don't matter to you at all!" I shout. "To you, we're just employees- even better, since you don't have to pay us! You never got to know us, you never ask what we want to do; Mabel told you our birthday was coming up, and you just asked if we'd want time off!" _

_I blink rapidly, trying not to let Stan see tears forming. "You have no idea how to take care of us," I choke out. I might be exaggerating now, but I don't care. "You do whatever you want, dragging us with half the time, never wondering if this stuff might be dangerous, or even illegal; I mean, you had us counterfeiting money!"  
_

_He tries to say something, but I don't let him. "I was out there at night because you wanted us to try to fix that stupid golf cart all day. I finally found something I like in this town- exploring, and now you won't even let me?" I give a short laugh, but the crying cuts off my voice. "You're probably just worried that if something happens to me, you're gonna get in trouble!"  
_

_I lean forward, putting my head in my hands. I try to keep the sobbing quiet, but it's pretty obvious._

_Stan doesn't say anything. I can hear him sighing, and he gently puts a hand on my shoulder. I shrug him off._

_"Can I go inside?" I ask roughly. _

_He nods, silent. After he unlocks the door, I swing it open and jump to the ground, angrily slamming it behind me._

_Grass. Outdoor steps. Shack floor. Staircase. With each step, the realization sinks in that I was probably being unfair to Stan. Maybe he really was worried about me._

_I climb into bed, too exhausted to be angry anymore. I'll apologize tomorrow. I can make it right._

_I wake up to an empty house._

[]

If I could only use one word to describe Gideon, it would be 'confident.' Every time I see him, it's like he knows exactly what he wants, and he's completely in charge of the situation.

So when I see him, pacing around his front lawn, I'm stunned. His hair is a mess, his skin is paler than usual, and he actually seems… thin. Not skinny, exactly, but gaunt; especially his face. His eyes, blinking over dark circles, widen in fear when he sees us. I can't believe that one day can change someone's appearance so much.

I wonder if I look the same.

Blubs walks towards him, slowly, arms spread wide, as if approaching a frightened animal. "Hey, Lil' Gideon," he says quietly. "Don't worry, we're not-"

"What's HE doin' here?" he shrieks, pointing straight at me. "Keep'im away from me!"

Nervous, Durland steps between us. "He's here 'cause we thought there might be some kind'a link between these cases. Now, Dipper here might know somethin' about-"

Gideon interrupts him again. "NO! He can't be- he's gonna-" he stops, eyes twitching. "Wait… of course!" He's actually trembling, and a half-grin spreads over his face. "It was YOU!"

As Durland turns to face me, surprised, Gideon takes his chance. Darting past the policeman, he leaps towards me, arms flying. I barely step back before he's on top of me, knocking us both to the ground.

Only inches away from me, he doesn't look evil.

One of his punches lands, striking my jaw.

He looks terrified.

"You have it, isn't that right?" he whispers. "But why would the third one make its way to _lil' ole you_?"

I block another swing, gripping his right hand with mine, before shoving him off of me with my left. He falls back, winded, and it's enough time for Blubs to grab his shoulders and hold him back.

Standing, I wince at the pain in my jaw. Gideon is grinning again, but it's not sincere; I can still see the fear in his expression.

"I know yer secret, Dipper Pines!" he yells as Blubs leads him back to his house. "I know what you did!"

What… what's he talking about? I'm vaguely aware of Durland's hand on my shoulder, guiding me back to the car, but I can't get my mind off of those words.

Gideon knows I have the journal.

Gideon thinks there's a spell to make people disappear.

Gideon thinks I would… tear his parents out of his life.

I don't know what causes me to tense up- anger, fear, frustration- but I physically can't step into the car. Concerned, Durland bends down to look me in the face.

"You alright, son?" he drawls. My voice fails me, and I simply shake my head sideways. He frowns, but helps me into the front seat.

As we're leaving, I look back towards the Gleeful property. That billboard stares back at me, Gideon's winking face smiling out at the world.

I can feel it again. That anger, the rage I've felt towards him, towards Robbie, even Stan sometimes… it's strong.

I shiver, trying to force those thoughts away. I would never wish something like that on anyone. I wouldn't.

[]

Robbie's sitting on the couch, picking at his guitar. I lean against the wall in silence for a few minutes.

"Why didn't you come with?" I ask. His blank stare out the window doesn't waver.

"Dad said you didn't learn anything." He tunes a string at random, letting the pitch slide up and down.

"We might've."

He finds the right spot, then moves on to the next one. "Thought you said to stay out of each other's way."

E, A, D, G, B, then E again. Like nothing's wrong. He's just sitting there, playing that stupid guitar. I grit my teeth. "I know, but it's like you don't even care."

He stops. Still holding one hand over the strings, he closes his eyes. "Don't ever say that, kid."

I fight off the urge to apologize again. "Tell me I'm wrong, then." He's positively shaking now. I don't know why I keep pushing him, but I do. "You don't care. Simple as that."

In one motion, he drops the guitar and stands up, towering over me. There's fire in his eyes, but before he can say a word, the door swings open.

Looking much calmer than before, Gideon is standing in the doorway, holding a silver suitcase and glancing around in disdain at the cluttered entryway. Behind him, the two policemen are standing in the front yard, probably having the same conversation they had about me.

Robbie mutters something about a 'freakin' day-care', then slings the guitar over his shoulder and trudges off to his room.

I'm speechless. Sure, part of me knew Gideon would need a place to stay, but…

"Dipper." He nods curtly before brushing past me and making his way down the hall. He couldn't be more different from the wild-eyed, angry kid that I saw earlier.

Just like that, I'm left alone in the living room.


	6. Kindness Explosions

So, that episode. Holy crap. Maybe my favorite of the whole season.

By the way, I hope you guys don't mind if, since this story was started before the two-part finale, some of the 'big-picture' mysteries are different than they ended up being in the show's canon. I know I asked it a few chapters ago, but I wanted to make sure.

All of you reviewers ROCK. Big shout-out to the guests that I can't message a thank-you to, as well as everyone who's been supplying ideas and suggestions. I'm thrilled that this story is getting so much attention; I can't thank you guys enough!

[]

_ It occurs to me that we should be sleeping.  
_

_"Wop!" Mabel throws a pillow at my head. "Looks like I win again!"_

_I laugh, blocking it with my arm. "Not even close!"  
_

_"Yeah, I do. All of the arguments." She jumps to her feet, balancing on her bed like a surfboard. "Mabel wins everything!"_

_I shake my head, grinning. "What about Stan? He's basically acted the same way ever since we met him."_

_"Oh, he could change!" She starts bouncing, laughing as she tumbles to the blankets each time. "I'm telling you, people can always surprise you!"_

_I snort. "Yeah, it'll surprise me if he ever stops swindling people out of their money."_

_"Exactly! Hah!"_

_"What?" Pausing, I scratch my head. "No, that's- That's not proving your point!" _

_In answer, she just sticks out her tongue. I roll my eyes, falling back onto my own pillow._

_"Okay, how 'bout Soos?" She doesn't sound half as tired as I feel._

_"Whaddya mean?" I mumble. _

_"Well, didja know he was in a cooking school for a while?"_

_I sit back up. "What? I've seen that guy eat a sandwich that he found under the fridge. You're telling me he cares about fine dining and all that?"_

_She excitedly points at my face. "See?! Right there! Surprise! Zow!" She falters a bit at my skeptical expression. "Well, he didn't exactly graduate. But still!"_

_I yawn, rubbing my eyes. "Mabel, people are basically the same, no matter how much they try to change. It's pretty obvious."  
_

_"Oh, boo!" She frowns, tilting her head. "Don't say depressing junk like that! Why you gotta be so sick-nickel?"_

_"Um. What." A few seconds pass before I make the connection. "Oh, you mean cynical? I dunno, I guess maybe because it's the truth?" Grinning again, I point back at her. "You're always goofy and bright, and you assume the best of people; that's not gonna change."_

_She gasps. "What? You think I'm goofy?"_

_Blinking, I start stuttering. "What? Um, I just meant-"_

_"I can't believe you, Dipper!" She puts her hands on her hips, glaring at me. "How dare you say something like that?!" With a huff, she throws herself onto her bed and rolls onto her side. _

_"Oh, man... I'm really sorry, okay?" I stand up, holding my hands out at my sides. "I didn't mean anything by it, I just... I thought you liked being goofy!" _

_She doesn't say a word. Sighing, I take a few steps closer. "Mabel, will you just say someth-"_

_"Gotcha!" Whirling around, she throws another pillow. It collides with my face, nearly knocking me back to my own bed._

_"Ow! What the-" Her laughter cuts me off, as she jumps up and starts dancing in circles. _

_"Win win win!" I reluctantly smile, sitting back down._

_She stops. "Oh, and Dipper-" With a glint in her eye, she giggles once more. "I didn't say everyone could change 'n stuff. I said everyone can surprise you."_

[]

"I didn't do it."

He calmly sets down his suitcase on the bed. "What's that, Dipper?" He says my name with emphasis, with a punch.

"Even if I knew how, I'd never do anything to your parents." I try to keep the trembling out of my voice.

"Oh, I already knew that." He sits down, tiny legs swinging up. "The kind police-man explained everythin' on the drive over." Every word is separated, and enunciated carefully.

He could be trying to trick me. Switching between manic and normal, just to mess with my head. Or worse- he might be genuinely glad that the people I care about are gone.

But maybe not. "So how'd you know about the journal?" I ask casually.

He smiles. "You may be good at uncoverin' secrets, but not keepin' 'em, _Dipper_." Now it's like a curse word.

I glance back to the bedroom door, but the music from down the hallway tells me Robbie's still holed up in his room. "Do you have one, too?" I ask.

He doesn't bat an eye. "No."

This is infuriating. "Then how do you know about-"

Gideon sighs loudly, stretching his arms over his head. "Oh, I _do_ hate to interrupt, but I don't see any particular reason to tell you anythin'."

I suddenly remember why I can't stand this kid. "Hold on- you know something about why they're gone?"

He giggles, a short, high-pitched noise that seems to merely slip out. "Maybe, maybe not. 'S obvious your precious book didn't help you none, so you know nothin' that could help me."

The music has stopped. Gideon crosses his arms, smirking. "Therefore, I have _nothin_' that I'm willin' to tell _you_."

"Wait." I turn to see Robbie, walking past the doorway. He puts one hand on the frame, staring at Gideon. "What'd you say?" he asks angrily.

The psychic shrinks back a bit. "I, er, I said that-"

In a flash, he's in the room. Reaching down, he grabs Gideon by the front of his shirt and pulls him close. "Six people are missing," he growls, then lifts the kid up to eye level. "If you know why, or how we can get her back, you better spill it, short stuff."

Suspended in the air, Gideon flutters his arms in a panic. "You wouldn't hurt lil' ole me, would'ya?" he squawks.

Robbie glances at me.

Ah, memories.

He looks back to Gideon. "Believe me, I would."

I'm staring, slack-jawed, as Robbie throws Gideon back onto the bed, where he bounces with a small squeak. "Okay, hold yer horses!" he yells. Scrambling to open the lock on the suitcase, he flips it open to reveal... a book.

The golden, six-fingered hand gleams, while the number two etches itself in my mind. "So, you just lied?" I take a step toward him; probably not half as intimidating as Robbie, but it seems to do the trick.

He grabs the journal, shuddering as he tries to calm himself down. "Alrighty, lessee..." he mutters, flipping through the pages. "Aha!" He jabs a pudgy finger onto the faded writing. "Here it is!"

I lean in, entranced by the idea of new secrets, new mysteries. The handwriting is different than my journal. "What are we even looking at?" says Robbie, but I'm barely listening, focused on the line of text Gideon's pointing to.

**-The key to it all is 1. DO NOT SOLVE THE RIDDL-**

The page is torn, right through the last word. "What's the riddle?" I wonder, more to myself than anyone else.

"What? No, that's not the point!" Gideon waves his hand irritably, pointing back to the first part. "Even this writer knows there's somethin' special 'bout the first journal."

I don't look up from the page. "So?"

He snaps the book shut. "So, you've got 3. People 'round you up and vanish. I've got the next one, same thing happens the day after."

Some of the pieces are starting to come together. "You think it's some kind of countdown?" I say quietly.

He shrugs. "I'm thinkin' we'll find out tomorrow." It's not much to go on, but it's something.

"Hey, Treehouse Club!" We both look up, startled. Robbie's crossing his arms, staring down at the journal. "Somebody wanna tell me what's going on?"

I take a deep breath. "Well, see, there are these books..."

[]

Half awake, I sit up and listen. Faint crying is coming from across the room; Mabel must be having a bad dream or something.

I stumble a few steps towards the other bed. "Hey, Mabel," I whisper. "Wake up."

I put a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her. "It's okay, just-"

Just before Robbie's startled face looks up at me, everything comes crashing back into my memory. My friends have vanished. I'm in Robbie V.'s house. Gideon's staying here, too, in another room.

And… I just heard him crying?

"What're you doing, kid?!" he yells. Suddenly awake, I stammer out an apology before tripping backwards and knocking my head against a coffee table.

Robbie's sitting up, and he looks halfway between concerned and mad. "What's your problem, anyway?" he sneers, but his heart's not in it.

Gingerly touching the back of my head, I mumble, "I thought- I heard, um, I just-"

"You boys doin' alright?" Durland is standing in the entryway, holding a flashlight and rubbing his eyes.

Turning, Robbie quickly moves his sleeve across his face. "Yeah, we're fine." He glances back down at me, then reluctantly holds out his hand.

I take it, letting him pull me to my feet. "Junior just had a nightmare. Fell outa bed." He nods toward me, almost as if he's daring me to protest.

In an instant, a memory from the afternoon jumps into my mind. Robbie was threatening Gideon, and he said 'If you know how we can get them back, you better-'

No. He said something else, it was...

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he does care.

Looking back at Durland, I say quietly, "Yeah. Just a nightmare."

He sighs, turning off the light. "Well, in that case, g'night." Without wasting a second, he leaves down the hallway.

For a few seconds, I'm left blinking, standing in the middle of the room. Robbie's already back in bed, turned towards the wall.

I wonder if he thinks I was covering for him.

I crawl under the blanket, trying to turn my head so the hurting area isn't touching the pillow.

Truth is, I was just too tired to argue.

[]

Way back in chapter 2, a guest reviewer named EdgeChronicles01 simply wrote, as a potential answer for why Dipper didn't vanish, "The book protected him." That idea spawned into Gideon's inclusion in the story; if you're still reading this, props to you!

If it wasn't clear, Dipper and Gideon explained everything they know about the journals 2 and 3 to Robbie. I figured it would be kinda boring to hash over it all, especially since most of Robbie's questions would probably be answered with, "We don't know."


	7. Mixed Signals

Alright, I know you guys were really hoping that this is an update to the story, and I'm really sorry, but this is just a note to explain why it's taking so long. Fact is, I'm gonna have to take another hiatus on this...

You know what? I can't even finish that joke. It would be too cruel.

Here's the deal: while focusing all my attention on The Best Laid Plans did actually help me finish it (I think it turned out pretty well- if you like Pokemon stories, you could go check it out), I realized something. Hiatuses are for chumps. Seriously, I was having a ton of new ideas for this fic and some of my Homestuck ones, and I just kept trying to finish TBLP, and that was just making me kinda mad. So, I'm not gonna do that again. It worked, and my first-ever legitimate fic on this site is done, and I'm happy with it, but the hiatus idea is stupid, and I'm not using it anymore.

**TL;DR: We're back, yo.**

[]

_"So, lemme get this straight, dude." He's sitting on that green bench, elbows on his knees while he stares vacantly up at the clock tower. "Mabel told Wendy to tell you that, uh-" He frowns. "That she saw somethin' weird here?"_

_I halfheartedly kick one of the tire swings. "She won't even talk to me. Must've been pretty scary."_

_"Huh." He grabs a candy bar from his pocket. "What if it's, like, some kind'a monster that only comes out at night?"_

_"I don't think so." I glance up to the clock. "Wendy said it was around noon, so we should be..." my voice trails off, and I throw myself down onto one of the many tree stumps scattered around the clearing, sitting down heavily. "This is pointless," I grumble._

_"Don't be like that, bro!" Soos has chocolate stains around his mouth, and he's giving me a thumbs-up while devouring the snack. "We just, ngarff, gotta keep looking, chomfph, 'till we find it!"_

_I scowl. "We've looked through the whole park. What else is there?" A splinter's digging into the back of my knee. I stand, jamming my hands in my pockets. "And why are all these tree stumps here, anyway?"_

_"Oh, dude, that's it!" Soos jumps up, a smile spreading across his face. "We should check the trees!"_

_"Huh?" I look towards the forest, at the edge of the park. "You think so? I mean, maybe..."_

_"Dipper." He adjusts his cap, giving me a serious, dignified expression. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life."_

_I shrug, following as he dashes away from the playground equipment. "Where should we start?"_

_He skids to a stop, grinning widely, pointing to a small space between a couple of tall oak trees. "Bro, isn't that where you an' Robbie almost-"_

_"I don't really wanna talk about it." I stomp past him, ignoring his chuckling, while I examine the bushes and undergrowth. "Seriously, we don't even know what we're looking for."_

_"Um, about that." Soos is standing by one of the trees, holding a piece of paper. "This was stuck to the tree trunk, dude."_

_He holds it lower, and I'm able to see what it says. "Follow the... signs?" I read, confused. "I think it's 'signs'." _

_He squints, tilting his head. "They wrote it weird-like, though. 'Sides, what signs?"_

_Standing closer to the tree where we found it, I look around. "Don't see anything from here." Something catches my eye, and I look down. A wide, long arrow is scratched in the dirt, brown against the park's grass, pointing towards another arrow a few yards away. "Whoa! Soos, look at this!"  
_

_He kneels down, beaming with excitement. "You know what this means, dude!" He looks up at me. "If we follow this arrow, we'll find the signs!"_

_I chuckle. "Um, I think this _is_ the sign, man."_

_Completely unfazed, he straightens. "Even better! Let's go, dude!"_

_The arrows keep going for a while, leading deeper into the forest. Eventually, one of the arrows leads to another small clearing, this time with a circle of white paint in the grass. Stretching away from the circle's edge, there's another ring of paint, forming the shape of a target. _

_Just before we reach the clearing, Soos looks back at me. "Here it is!" He starts to make his way through the trees._

_"Wait!" I grab his arm. "Just, uh..." I look down, poking at the grass with my shoe. "I think maybe we should, uh, think about it first."_

_He frowns. "Whaddya mean? It's a mystery, Dip! This is, like, your thing!"_

_"I know, but-" I sigh. "I just think we should be careful. Mabel's usually helping me figure this stuff out, and now this thing has her really spooked."_

_"You scared, dude?" He says it without any hint of teasing, like it's a totally normal question.  
_

_I can feel myself blushing. "Well... maybe," I mumble, pulling my hat down so it covers my eyes._

_"That's fine, bro." He sits down on the grass. "So... what now?"_

_Surprised, I sit down, too. "Really?" I ask. "You don't think it's dumb?"_

_He snorts. "Dipper, I'm pretty sure you're, like, the smartest little dude I know. You can totally figure this out. If you wanna wait first, it's probably 'cause you're comin' up with some crazy-ridiculous plan."_

_"Thanks, man." I look back at the meadow. I know there's something here, something I can figure out. Part of the mystery. I can- I  
_

_I pause. 'I'. It's the 'I'. I hold up the note again, staring at the word 'signs.' The second letter is dotted with a heart._

_"Soos..." I smile. "I think I got it."  
_

_"Dude." One eyebrow's raised. "Toldja."_

_Without another word, I jump up, rushing forward through the bushes. Soos's startled objections ringing behind me, I jump into the center of the target, looking up and holding out my arms._

_I have just a second to take in the sunlight, the ring of blue sky above me, the faint buzz of the insects in the clearing._

_Just a second to see Wendy and Mabel in the branches, grinning, before a barrage of multicolored water balloons cascades down._

_They're cheering, laughing, climbing down from the trees, while I'm standing in the middle, soaked. But I'm smiling from ear to ear._

_"We did it! We got you!" Mabel hops up and down a few times. "That was the best prank in the world!"_

_I try to get some of the water off of my face. "Yeah, you sure showed me." Honestly, I'm just glad that nothing's wrong._

_Soos is nervously wringing his hands, stepping over the circles like he's scared something will still happen. "Sorry you hadta get balloon-smashed, bro."_

_I can't help it; I burst out laughing. This whole day is just so weird; I thought there was some awful monster I had to confront, and then I suddenly didn't think I could keep doing this mystery-thing, and then it wasn't even a real problem. _

_"It's fine, Soos," I say in between chuckles. "It's just good to know you guys always have my back."_

_"Whoa, Dip. Sarcasm? Cheap shot." Wendy's grinning at all of us with that aloof expression, but I can tell she's having fun._

_I shake my head. "No, that's not what I meant!" But how do I explain it? That I know it's gonna be alright, because I have my friends and they help me out, so even if I keep exploring and getting in trouble, that's okay because it'll all just be... good._

_It doesn't even make sense, this feeling. But it's there, and it's real. So I smile again, and I give Soos a high-five. "Mystery solved, dude." I use my best impression of his voice. _

_Naturally, this causes Mabel to go into a giggling fit, and Wendy's just shaking her head. But Soos grins right back and slaps his hand on mine._

_"Awesome, dude."_

[]

As a diner, Greasy's doesn't have much to its name.

"IF YOU WANT THE HASHBROWNS SO BAD, YOU CAN COME BACK HERE AND MAKE'EM YOURSELF!"

What it does have is pancakes. I stare down at said pancakes. I nudge the pancakes with my fork.

"LOOK, BUD, IF YOU DON'T SCOOT, I'LL THROW YOU OUTTA HERE!"

And, of course, there's Lazy Susan, who I am currently trying to ignore as she argues with customers.

Robbie has his head on the table, hood pulled tight, like he's trying to block out the world. "I knew there was a reason I don't come here," he says, the words muffled through his sweater.

"Well, I think it's jes' delightful!" Gideon is sitting on one of the bar chairs, spinning in circles. "However did I avoid discoverin' this absolute gem of a museum?"

I absently cut a piece of pancake into smaller and smaller pieces. "Museum?"

"O'course!" He stops turning, waving his short arms in a broad gesture. "Clearly this entire building is designed to harken back to a simpler time, when-" I can see the gears start to turn as his smile slowly vanishes, finally turning into a scowl. "This is a diner," he says in a monotone.

Robbie sniggers. "I don' like this place no more," Gideon announces, hopping down from the stool with a huff.

My fork slips, clattering down onto the plate loudly. They're both looking at me now, probably from reflex more than anything else, but I figure now's as good a time as any.

"So." My throat's suddenly dry, and I wish I had some water or something. Robbie's glaring up from beneath his hood, still resting on the table, while Gideon simply jumps up onto the booth chair next to me. "We- we should decide what we're gonna do next."

Leaning back, Gideon places his hands behind his head with a yawn. "Do elaborate."

"Well, we thought something big would happen today."

Silence. I cough. "Nothing has."

"We've noticed," says Robbie, sitting up.

"Um..." My mind goes blank. I guess I was hoping one of them would have some kind of idea. "What do you guys think?"

A high-pitched giggle slips out, and Gideon covers his mouth with his hand. "I'm sorry, but this is precious. You think you're some kind'a detective?"

"What would _you_ do, squirt?" With a bit of a shock, I realize Robbie isn't talking to me. "Maybe my dad'll find a clue or whatever, but we might as well do _something_ in the meantime."

The psychic crosses his arms, still smirking. "I do pity y'all, I really do. Dipper- what exactly are you gonna do?"

Before I can stammer out a reply, Robbie challenges, "What, you're not worried? Your parents are in this, too."

Gideon's answer is drowned out by a slam as the diner's door hits the wall. A bedraggled man rushes in, clutching a map in his hands. He's balding, wearing a business suit and slacks, and looks as anxious as anyone I've ever seen.

We can't help but watch as he throws the map down on the bar, causing Lazy Susan to look his way, total boredom in her expression. "I- I think I got off at the wrong bus stop," he says quickly.

She snorts. "Well, what're ya lookin' for?"

The man rapidly grabs the map again, squinting. "Uh... Connor's Lake?"

A few of the patrons close to the bar start laughing, while Susan just grins. "Yup. You're not there, bud."

Dejected, he folds up the paper and stows it inside his suit. "Well, when's the next bus out?"

She scratches her forehead, looking up in thought. "Eh... prob'ly noon t'morrow."

I kinda feel bad for the guy when he has to walk back through the diner, hanging his head, approaching the door as we all try conspicuously not to stare at him. "Bad luck," Robbie murmurs when he's finally outside.

The man gets into his car. "Yeah," I say quietly. "But this is one of the only places in Gravity Falls where people actually _go_, so tourists end up here a lot."

At some point, I blink. I don't actually see it happen- I'm vacantly looking out the window at this random, unfortunate guy, and eventually I realize that he's no longer there.

He's gone. He was climbing into his car, and now he's gone. The driver's seat door is even still open.

I try not to panic. I fail.

Leaping up from the table, I accidentally bowl over Gideon, who falls to the floor with a faint squeak. Dashing over the wooden planks, I shove the door open.

I don't know what I expect. Clues? A message, scrawled over the hood of the car?

There's nothing. It's just sitting there, key in the ignition, door open, as if the guy had just gone back in to grab his jacket or something. It could have been anybody's car.

No. No, this can't happen. Not now. But I can't control it; my throat's tightening up, and it's getting harder to breathe.

"Kid!" Robbie's here, staring down at me, glaring. "What's wrong with you?!"

Air. Just try to breathe.

"...Whoa, kid, are you okay?"

Is this a panic attack? It wasn't this bad before; if it happens, I'm supposed to... what do I do? I can't remember...

Robbie looks just as terrified as I feel. "Uh, just- hold on, alright? I'll get help!"

He must have run back into the diner, because I'm alone, falling, scraping my knees on the blacktop. Breathe. Breathe.

This isn't happening. I can't- I can't do this.

Someone's picking me up, carrying me somewhere.

Mysteries are bouncing around in my head. My friends are gone. I'm scared there's no answer.

I can't do this.


	8. Hero Complex

_I'm shaking, huddled against the wall, looking up at the sky. It's getting darker. This pit is small, only a few yards wide, but it's deep, probably ten or twelve feet. Too deep for me to just climb out; the dirt walls are smooth, hardened and leveled by years and years. That didn't stop me from trying. _

_I've heard about this, though. The journal says that hunters used to dig these pits to trap bears and wolves._

_Yeah. Just... keep thinking about that. Saves me from the creeping, growing terror that tells me I can't get out._

_I was in the woods, further than I've ever explored. I fell. And now, I'm here, and I can't get out. Can't get out._

_And... I'm thinking about it. I shiver, locking my arms around my knees. What was I thinking? I didn't take a phone with me, or anything. I didn't even tell Stan where I was going; heck, I didn't know myself.  
_

_Don't think about how cold it's getting. Or the dark._

_What if I die?_

_It's overreacting. It's paranoid, jumping to conclusions. But it's impossible to get out of my head. _

_A shiver goes through me, over my shoulders, my spine, my back. I jump up. Have to move. Have to do something. The walls are completely flat. There's nothing on the floor. I'm looking around wildly, not seeing anything I haven't already gone over a dozen times._

_I don't wipe the tears out of my eyes. That would mean admitting to myself that I'm crying. Instead, I face the sky again. Jump._

_My hand doesn't even come close to reaching the edge. I growl. Try again. _

_Again. The pain in my fingers tells me they're bleeding, but I can't see it through the streaks of dirt. Again._

_The sky is taunting, so near but not enough. Again._

_There's a twinge of pain in my left ankle. Almost by reflex, I pull back, just before I land. The imbalance causes me to crash to the dirt, landing heavily on my side._

_I don't think anything's broken. Wincing, I stand up slowly. At least I can..  
_

_..._

_What can I do?_

_There's nothing. It hits me all at once, the thought I've been holding back all this time. There is nothing I can do._

_The fear is overwhelming, driving me back to the ground, where I hold my head in my hands. Sound is escaping my mouth, but I know it's not a cry for help. Just pathetic sobbing. _

_Why am I so weak? So scared?_

_"...Dipper?"_

_Everything stops. I'm frozen, not daring to look back up._

_Silence. I wonder if I imagined it. If my brain is playing some kind of cruel joke. Unable to bear it, I turn my gaze to the top of the pit.  
_

_Wendy's here. She's here. Just staring down, eyes wide, not saying anything.  
_

_I should be happy, laughing, excited, but instead I'm numb when she lowers down a tree branch. I'm completely silent as she struggles to lift me out of the pit. I can't even force myself to smile when I'm back on the forest floor._

_Breathing hard, she's looking at me with concern. "Dip? You okay?"_

_With a start, I realize she can see my face. Everything- the tears, the dirt- is completely out in the open. She can see it all, that I fell, that I couldn't get out on my own, that I was a stupid, terrified, helpless little kid.  
_

_My face is burning. And to think- I wanted to impress her._

_"C'mon, man, say something!"_

_I can't. This is too much; she shouldn't have to save me. I should be stronger. I shouldn't need help._

_She's... hugging me. _

_My face is buried in her shoulder, and before I know it, I'm crying again. There's no embarrassment or panic over being this close to her- just a quiet rush, like everything spinning through my mind earlier is finally out, and it's comforting. _

_"It's okay, dude. You're okay." She awkwardly pats my back, before leaning back and looking me over for injuries. "You're not hurt, right?" _

_"Y-yeah." I'm looking down, still avoiding her eyes. "I'm sorry."_

_"For what?"_

_The words won't come. For a moment, I'm just standing there, wiping the grime from my face. "You had to save me."_

_"Yeah, but..." Understanding dawns in her eyes, and she frowns. "Hold up. You're apologizing for that?"_

_I nod, trying to keep from blushing in shame again. "Honestly, I'm just- I'm too weak." The words sound pathetic and whining, but I keep going. "I always need someone to bail me out, and I'm sorry."_

_Silence. I'm still sniffing, head bowed. _

_"Dip. Hey. Look at me." I tilt my head up, and Wendy's frowning slightly again, leaned in closer. "Listen, man. Helping people, it's not- I dunno, it's just..."_

_Frustrated, she rubs her forehead. "It's weird, man. But stop thinking like that, alright? You're not weak for needing help."  
_

_I try to disagree, but she cuts me off. "That's just something friends do, you know? Heck, that's just what _people_ do."_

_She lightly punches my shoulder, with a small smile. "So don't be so hard on yourself, bud."_

_I nod, trying to wipe my eyes for good this time. She extends a hand, helping me stand back up. "Hey, Wendy?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Could you, just, uh," I'm stammering, and I'm sure my face is probably red again. "Maybe not, you know-"_

_"Hey." She holds up her hand, quickly swiping her fingers in front of her lips in a zipper motion._

_I smile. "Thanks." _

[]

Everything's spinning. I can see grass, trees, sky, all swirling together. I'm being carried, but it hurts. Hurts to breathe. Hurts to move.

The panic's still there, and suddenly I'm tensed up. My brain knows someone's trying to help, but it's getting drowned out by this feeling, the sensation that I'm trapped.

He vanished. I saw it happen. And now all I can think about is that car, that door, he's GONE and they're all gone-

My arm jerks forward, involuntarily slamming into the shoulder of the person carrying me.

"Ow! What the-" I'm dropped, landing on grass and tumbling forward. Try to stand up. Try to get up. Try to move at all.

I can't. I'm shuddering again, curled up into myself on the ground. It hasn't stopped. Breathe. Breathe.

"Kid!" Who's... Robbie? Robbie's here, leaning down. "Look, just- try to slow it down, alright?"

Slow down? What's it mean? I'm breathing shallower, faster, and I keep tensing and relaxing my hands around clumps of grass.

"It's okay, kid." I'm suddenly terrified he might touch me again, and that panic could come back, but he doesn't. He's just kneeling down, hands on his head, trying to look like he's not worried. "Just breathe. It's okay."

I'm violently shaking my head, opening my mouth, trying to say something. "Listen!" he yells suddenly. "This can't hurt you!"

He's wrong, he's wrong and I know he's wrong, and my throat's burning, and everything _hurts_. "Dipper, listen." He moves closer, head almost touching the dirt like mine is. "I know it's hard. I know it feels real, but this can't kill you. You'll be okay."

The fear is still pressing in, but I latch onto his words, and they echo in my mind, growing louder and louder. "You're okay," he repeats. "Just breathe."

Some part of me fights back, and I'm shivering even more, closing my eyes. "He's gone," I choke out. "I saw-"

"Don't think about it, alright?!" He's almost shouting now. "Something else! Anything!"

I can see Wendy, pulling me out of the pit. Stan's lazily flipping through the channels. Soos is climbing into his old pickup. Mabel's throwing a video game controller into the air, yelling in mock anger.

"Just breathe," he says quietly. "It's okay."

...Air.

In, out.

Gradually, slowly, it's easier. My limbs start to relax, and I'm able to let my head fall onto the soft grass.

It still hurts, and the fear is still there, but I'm starting to get stronger. I'm breathing deeply, not moving while the dizziness passes.

Robbie sighs. "...Alright." He sits down, folding his arms over his knees.

I'm finally able to see where we are, painfully lifting myself off the ground. We're far from the diner, on a small hill overlooking the forest. It seems he wasn't really taking me anywhere in particular. Just... away from the diner.

He coughs. "You good?"

Sitting down, I nod, trying to find my voice again. "Y-yeah. Why'd you come back?"

Grunting, he shakes his head. "Those idiots had no idea what to do. Figured I should try to help out myself." He looks back over, and I can see the concern in his expression. "You sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Then I gotta ask, kid." He scowls, turning away but still addressing me. "What was that all about?"

I can think about it now, without the fear rushing back. "I hadn't seen it before." He doesn't blink, and I turn away, finding it easier to look out over the trees. "At the Shack, I mean. I didn't actually see it. They were just... missing."

Robbie doesn't say anything. "This time, he was right in front of me."

He snorts. "So, you're traumatized. Whatever."

It's so unexpected that I'm not even mad right away. I'm staring at him, mouth hanging open, while he continues. "Look, it's screwed up. I get it." He scoffs, pulling up his hood. "But come on, kid. We found a ghost. A _ghost_. I've seen you fight monsters and all that, but you're telling me that this is worse?"

Before I know it, I'm standing, glaring down at him. "Yeah. Yeah, it's worse." I press both hands against the sides of my head, gritting my teeth. "You weren't watching, man. He was there, and then he wasn't. He might be _dead_."

He stands too, nodding. "Look, I know-"

"No, you don't!" I shove him, swinging both hands into his chest. "You don't know, alright?!"

He stumbles back, shocked. I'm breathing more heavily, but at least I'm breathing, and the anger feels good. "They could ALL be dead! And I have no idea how to get them back!"

For a second, he's speechless, and I look back at the ground, feeling the adrenaline dissipate. "...That's why we're here," he says quietly. "To figure out a plan. To start thinking, instead of just waiting around for someone else to go."

I keep my eyes on the grass, knowing I couldn't possibly say this to his face. "I can't."

"What?" His voice is still quiet, but now there's an edge.

"I can't do it." I try to yell, but my voice breaks, and it comes out sounding weak. Pathetic.

"This is you, Dipper." It's strange to actually hear him say my name. "You're always talking about mysteries and whatever. Secrets. Exploring. You _have_ to try."

I'm not crying this time, but the shame is just as strong. "Doesn't matter." I shake my head slowly. "I can't do it without them. Mabel, she'd always help- and Soos-"

I stop, looking back up at Robbie. "What if Gideon's right? What if there's nothing we can do?"

His expression is completely blank, and he doesn't say anything. "I can't figure this out on my own," I finish.

"...You punk." He says it quietly, without raising his voice at all, but the disappointment is obvious.

"Look, I'm sorry-"

"No." He sneers, taking a step towards me. "I always knew you were a brat. Annoying. Whining. But I figured, you're just a punk kid. Whatever."

He's standing over me, glaring almost straight down. "But I _never_ thought you'd give up."

I'm stuttering, trying to say something. "How much do they mean to you, kid? You really gonna say that they're not worth it? That you're just _too scared?!_"

My words are stuck in my head. I can't defend this. He's glaring now, voice dangerously low. "So do it. You wanna give up? Give up, then. I freaking dare you."

Almost trembling, he turns, walking a short distance away, and I'm left with my head in my hands.

My thoughts are out of control. Everything he said, everything I did, it's all spinning together, and there's only one thing I can focus on clearly.

_Sometimes, we just need someone to save us._

I was so close. I almost gave up completely.

I take a deep breath. Approaching Robbie again, I notice he's on his cell phone, listening while a surprised look settles on his face.

"We'll be there." He snaps it shut, sliding the phone into his pocket. He stares me down. "Well?"

All the shame, all the anger at my own weakness is still clamoring for my attention. I do my best to ignore it.

I won't give in. Not to fear, not to self-pity, and not to despair. It doesn't matter how dark it gets.

I look Robbie in the eye. "It won't happen again."

He nods. "Good." Glancing in the direction of the diner, he sighs. "That was my dad. You remember that crazy old guy?"

"McGucket?" I raise my eyebrows. "Did he disappear too?"

"Yeah." Robbie crosses his arms. "At least, that's what he's telling people."

A few seconds pass before I realize the implications of that sentence. "You mean-"

He nods. "Apparently... he came back."

[]


	9. Sideways Progress

Wow. Another month. Sorry again. Hopefully, I got a thank-you out to everyone who's reviewed and such, and for guests I can't send a message to- Thanks.

Man, I can't think of anything deep or profound tonight. Just thanks, guys. It means a lot.

I've decided that if I want to update anything else- other stories, new stuff, anything- I have to update this story that day, too. Hopefully it'll help.

Also, watch the shorts. All of them. They are wonderful and hilarious.

[]

_I don't usually come up here. The attic is almost completely bare, the walls and floor nothing but rows of boards. Plus, the red light has always creeped me out.  
_

_But right now, it's perfect. I trudge over to the window, sitting down on the row of cushions. Finally, a place to be alone. Just to think. To-_

_"Hey, Dipper." Stan's gruff voice cuts through my thoughts. With a sigh, I look back to the stairway, where he's leaning on the railing and fiddling with his tie. "Everything, uh, okay?"_

_I stare him down. If he thinks we're gonna have some kind of bonding moment or whatever, he's got another thing coming. "Yeah. Just great."_

_He coughs. "Well. Good." _

_I pointedly turn away, examining the patterns on the window. I can hear him start to go back down the steps. _

_He stops. "Ah, what the heck." After a few seconds, he's sitting next to me, arms crossed on his knees. "What's goin' on, kid?"_

_Of course. Of course this would happen, the one time I don't want to talk to anyone. Much less him. I scowl. "I said it's fine."_

_Stan smirks. "No, I was 'fine' yesterday when I convinced some chucklehead to buy a haunted can opener." In spite of myself, I smile._

_He doesn't ask again. I think that's the reason I actually open up. "We were exploring the library," I say slowly. "The closed-down one. Me, Wendy, and Mabel, and..." _

_I pause, halfheatedly knocking the wall with my fist. "I just wanted to find something, you know? I had this plan, and I was trying to get them to stay together, and they didn't listen to me at all, and-" I notice I'm rambling, and shake my head. "I got lost, even. They had to come back and find me."  
_

_"Huh." I glance over, noticing Stan's vacant look across the room. He blinks. "Just thought of somethin', but keep going."  
_

_I shrug. "That's pretty much it. I mean, I wanted to lead this cool expedition-" Did I really just say that? Why not call it an 'adventure' and basically sound like a six-year-old? "-Or whatever," I finish lamely._

_I let my head fall back against the window, and my hat props up in the front. So I'm either a naive star-gazer, or a whining brat. 'Or whatever'. Brilliant. _

_Stan gets up. "Just a sec, kid."_

_I mean, it's not like anyone should have to care about my personal life. It's getting kind of tedious. I always end up blabbing about my problems to everybody, and they always act like it's no big deal. _

_He's rummaging through one of the boxes in the attic's corner. "Where'd I put that-"_

_But it shouldn't be that big of a deal, right? I mean, instead of always complaining and stuff, I should just go do. Yeah, I mess up sometimes, but... I don't know. _

_"Got it!" He's walking back, holding a book towards me. I gingerly take it, since it looks pretty old and fragile. "I was worried maybe I lost it."_

_Curious, I turn to the first page. It's some kind of photo album- I don't recognize anyone, though. _

_"Lemme just- there." Stan quickly flips a few pages, stopping near the back. He jabs his finger at the middle of the page. "Recognize 'im?"_

_The man is pushing a wheelbarrow, reaching forward in alarm, trying to keep something from falling out. It doesn't look like he knows the picture is being taken, and I can only see part of his face, but it's enough. "Isn't that Grandpa?"_

_"Yep." Stan looks at the photo fondly before gazing up at the ceiling, lost in memory. "How well'd you know him, kid?"_

_"Barely." I look through the other pages, but can't find him in anything else. "I only met him a few times before-"_

_He sighs. "Yeah. Lemme tell ya, Dip, he was... quiet. He was awfully quiet." Chuckling softly, he takes the album back. "I don't think he ever told someone else what to do in his life."_

_He walks back across the room. "He built this place, though."_

_"What?" Shocked, I raise my voice more than I mean to. "But- I thought you built the Shack!"_

_"Officially, yeah." Stan slides the book into the box. "My name's on the deed, and it was my idea and all. But he did a lot of the work. Probably more than me."_

_Frowning, I scratch my head. "And he... never told anyone?"_

_It's Stan's turn to shrug. "Didn't want the credit. But that's just the way my brother was." Sitting back down, he rests one hand on my shoulder. "He was a good man, Dip. He always helped anyone who needed it."  
_

_He waits until I'm looking him in the eyes. "But he wasn't a leader."_

[]

"He was some kind'a SPECTRAL PHANTASM!"

If there's one thing I've learned working at the Shack, it's that people are willing to believe a lot. However, there is a line.

In fact, I'm listening to that line right now. McGucket's garbled yells are painfully high-pitched, but even if they weren't, I would have no idea what he's talking about.

Robbie shoulders people aside roughly, while I follow sheepishly through the crowd. Say what you will about this town, but there's never been much traffic. So it's not that out of place to see the old man in the middle of the road. But even from here, I can tell that people are starting to lose interest.

We finally make it to the front. He's wearing a floppy brown hat and slapping his knee repeatedly. "Ah been here ma whole life, an' I ain't never seen ANYTHIN' LIKE IT!" he shrieks, spinning quickly.

Robbie sighs. "Shoulda known."

I'm about to ask him what he means, but a short man with a fedora and a large mustache jumps forward, microphone in hand. "_Well_, hrm, what exactly did you _see_?"

McGucket stares vacantly in the man's direction, then splits into a gap-toothed grin. "An' what would YOU like for Christmas, little boy?!"

Robbie shakes his head in disgust, ignoring the reporter's indignant reply. "Think about it. He probably makes up stories like this all the time."

As if to prove his point, the old man was scratching his beard in response to the repeated question. "D'you know... I can't rightly 'member WHAT I saw!" He breaks into a guffawing laugh, hopping from one foot to the other, while the crowd grumbles angrily. A few people just leave.

"What?" I hold out my hands helplessly. "B-but he just said it! He's gotta remember something!"

Robbie snorts. "Don't count on it."

Before I know it, most of the original crowd is drifting away. McGucket is casually flipping the brim of his hat, closely eyeing it from different angles.

"Um, hey." I nervously step forward, and the old man suddenly springs forward, shoving the hat down over my own.

"Ow! What the-" Before I can get rid of it, he grabs it himself, jumping sideways with a cackle.

"Just kiddin'! So, you wanna hear about the DISAPPEARIN' PHENOMENON, isn't that right?"

I raise my eyebrows. "Well- yeah. I thought you didn't remember."

"I remember EVERYTHIN'." Leaning in close, he blinks one eye rapidly. "I just had'ta scare'em off; anyone could be their SPIES!"

"Whose spies?" Robbie demands. "What are you talking about?"

McGucket's eyes dart from side to side, as if making sure the coast is clear. "It's a hamjammer of a tale, t'be sure! There I was, jes' mindin' m'self, when suddenly I felt the ICY GRIP OF FEAR UPON MY SHOULDERS!" He seems to freeze, before shooting a glance behind him and shuddering. "Don' remember how they got me, but I was all a'slumber when I found m'self in some kinda shadowy cavern. An' there was a personage there, too- a fearsome TALL figure, all shrouded in the MYSTERIES of the NIGHT!"

I realize I'm actually holding my breath. "...Whoa," I say quietly. "Was there anyone there?"

"Hm! Human-folk and the like?" He twirls the edge of his beard like a lasso. "Nope! Don't reckon' I saw anyone like that!"

I turn to Robbie, but he's staring down at the road silently. "An' do y'know how I got out?" McGucket asks proudly. Getting no answer, he shrugs. "Neither do I!"

He flinches, staring up at the sky. "WHOOPS! Outta time!" he screeches. "Can't be late t'feed the goats!"

Robbie lunges for his arm, but he's already scrambled away, hollering and yelling as he runs down an alley. Startled, I dart after him.

"Hold up." Robbie hasn't moved.

"Come on!" I say incredulously. "We have to go after him."

He shakes his head. "I think we should go back. Doesn't look like he knows much more, and we gotta tell my dad."

It makes sense, but... "Yeah," I say quickly. "But he's the only one who's been there- wherever it is."

Robbie raises his eyebrows. "If he's telling the truth."

Neither of us moves, and I suddenly notice just how empty the streets are today. "Look, kid, we've got a choice here." Robbie folds his arms. "Two different ideas. If we're gonna keep working on this, we'll need to decide something."

"And what's that?"

"Who's gonna lead."

I pause. Waiting for a second, he continues. "If you wanna take point on this- accept responsibility for whatever we choose- then I'll go with it."

The other option is obvious enough that he doesn't say it. "As long as we agree it shouldn't be Gideon," I say with a half-smile.

He scoffs. "Wouldn't trust him with a grocery list, let alone something like this."

Chuckling, I look down to the street. In a way, it's not that complicated- do I think I'm ready for this? Am I the best option?

I don't know. I don't know, and I'm tired of wondering. I'm not going to play every possible outcome through my mind, and I'm not going to worry about what's weak or what's strong.

Looking back up, I put my hands in my pockets. "I think you should do it."

I can't tell what's in his gaze. Respect? At least it doesn't seem to be contempt. He nods after a while. "All right, then. Let's go back."

[]

**Grandpa Pines (GrandPines?) is not canon in any way. Completely made up. (BUT IF HE WAS REAL THEY WOULD TOTALLY CALL HIM GRANDPINES.)**


	10. It's Impossible?

_"I can't believe you, Dipper!" My sister swats at me before angrily spinning away. "Don't ever say something like that again!"_

_Rubbing my arm, I wince. "Look, I'm sorry, but there's no way we'll find him! He could be stuck somewhere, or lost in the woods, or anything else!"_

_"Are you for serious, bro?" I've never seen her this miserable. She sniffs, wiping the sleeve of her sweater across her eyes. "You actually want to stop looking?"_

_"Well... no..." I groan in frustration, leaning back against a tree trunk. "But I don't want you to keep getting your hopes up, then being disappointed. The odds of actually finding a pig in a forest this huge- if he's even still al-"_

_"I told you!" she yells. "I told you not to say that!"_

_"Right." I hold up my hands. "Sorry. But please, just listen! The odds of finding Waddles are-"_

_"Dipper." She kneels down in the grass, letting her hair fall in front of her face. "I don't care about the odds, okay? I don't care that it's impossible. I just- I can't. I can't even think about that."_

_I'm speechless for a second. "Please?" she asks quietly. "Please help me out?"_

_"Mabel-" I sigh. "We don't have any information. We only have guesses."_

_She lifts one shoulder, then lets it fall. "Then let's guess."_

_I smile gently. "Okay." She takes my hand to pull herself up, and we both examine the particular stretch of forest around us. _

_"So, what do you think?" I ask. She starts stroking her chin, humming as the beginning of a faint smile appears. _

_"Well, Explorer Dipper, I propose that we climb that tree to increase visibility!"_

_"That's a good idea, Explorer Mabel." Heck, maybe she won't be so worried about the pig if I play along. _

_She launches onto the first branch with a determination that I certainly don't feel. I follow nervously, trying not to catch my clothes on any burrs or thorns, while above me, Mabel is already halfway up._

_"How's the weather up there, Explorer?" I ask lightly, distracted by a particularly difficult bough that's just out of reach. "Mabel?"_

_I glance up, and she's already climbed even higher- dangerously high, as the branches are getting smaller and smaller. "Whoa! Mabel, stop! They're not strong enough!"  
_

_She sticks out her tongue, but at least she stops climbing. Sighing in relief, I take my time reaching her, finally resting on a branch that's splits into two shoots. "I think... this is... high enough... don't you?" I pant, out of breath from the climb.  
_

_"Hm? Yeah, yeah," she mutters, scanning the ground below us. _

_I pause. "Look, Mabel, I know you really want to find him. But I think we should go back."_

_Saying nothing, she pointedly turns her back to me, still looking over the areas around our tree. "Stan's gonna be worried, and we're already later than we said we'd be. Can't we just, I don't know, look some more tomorrow?"  
_

_She turns. "Dip, I'm gonna find him. Stop worrying."_

_Frowning, I shake my head. "I get it, alright? Waddles is great, and I'm really sorry that he's lost, but we can't just wait forever. We don't have any proof that he's even out here anymore."_

_She scowls darkly, and I backtrack. "Uh, I mean he might be somewhere else! You know, in town, or rummaging through someone's trash!"_

_"No. He's here. I know it." _

_I try again. "I know it's tough. But we can't just blindly keep going, hoping against hope that he's gonna be fine! It doesn't always work that way, and-"_

_Her squeal of joy nearly knocks me off the branch. "I SEE HIM! I see Waddles!" Before I know it, she's scrambling back down, and it's all I can do to keep up. _

_Back on the ground, she sprints through a series of bushes, practically colliding with her pet before the two of them roll over in the grass. "Waddles! I'm never ever gonna stop holding onto you! I'll carry you everywhere and keep you safe and everything will just be the best!" _

_At the base of the tree, I brush the dirt off of my hat and watch Waddles cover Mabel's face with licks, her giggling the whole time. My twelve-year-old mind is working furiously, trying to assess the logic in this. _

_Wasn't I... right? If Waddles had stayed missing, or worse, it would have looked like I was right. But for some reason, standing here, seeing my sister so full of joy, I'm starting to think that maybe it doesn't matter if I'm right. _

[]

Gideon's eyes go wide, and he musters up his best, made-for-TV smile. "Why, Dipper! I'm jes' _ever so glad _that you're okay!"

"No, you're not," I mutter as I brush past him. I ingloriously heave myself onto Robbie's couch, exhausted from the day's events.

Still standing in the doorway, he drops the act and shrugs. "Fair 'nuf."

There's an awkward silence as I stare up at the ceiling. The living room's ceiling fan is missing a blade; with every spin, the center wobbles back and forth. "I don't mean to pry," Gideon calls from across the room, "an' in any other circumstances, I could not be more disinterested in the goings-on of your life, but..."

I sit straight up. "No. No way. I'm not talking about this with you."

"That's jes' the thing, boy." He grins, waddling over. "I think I already know. An' may I add, it was positively a _delight_ to see you in hysterics."

"Shut up." I have my hands pressed against the sides of my head, as if I can block out his voice. It doesn't work.

"You're not only scared you might fail." He's louder now, and if I had my eyes open, I'm sure I'd see him smirking. "No, 's more than that- you're scared that there's jes' no way forward, isn't that right?"

I try to calm down. I remind myself that I have NEVER cared what Gideon thinks of me, and I'm not about to start.

"Face it, Dipper!" he yells. "You can't handle this- an' you _jes' proved it!_"

A growl's rising in my throat, and I leap off the couch. This time, I'm the one swinging, and my fist barely misses his face when he dodges out of the way. He rushes forward, his head colliding with my shoulder, and I fall backwards. He's smiling again, but the look isn't angry or wild. He just looks satisfied, like... everything's going according to plan.

_What on earth?_

Just before I crash into him again, the door opens. We both blink stupidly at Robbie, who's watching us with one eyebrow raised. "Um..." He rolls his eyes, slamming the door behind him. "Cool it, short stuff."

As he walks past us, Gideon scowls and tries to straighten his hair. "He's talkin' t' _you_," he sneers.

Without looking back, Robbie shakes his head. "Both, actually." Sighing, he sits down on the couch. "If you can stop trying to kill each other for a second, we need to talk."

Gideon seems to change moods in an instant, falling into a stuffed easy chair with a carefree smile. "Oh, goody. Another talk. Hey Dipper, maybe if y'look out the window again, you'll see someone else _pop_ right outta their car!" He snaps his fingers loudly.

I remain standing, crossing my arms and doing my best to ignore a brief shiver. "About what?" I ask Robbie.

He rests his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. "First of all- I told my dad and Blubs everything we know." He turns to Gideon, adding, "Oh yeah- we talked to the crazy guy. He thinks he saw someone, moving around and everything."

He isn't being sarcastic, but it's still a shock to hear it like this. That's... really all we know. Everything we got out of today.

Gideon's examining the far wall, deep in thought. "They're gonna start a town-wide search tomorrow, for the others," Robbie continues. "If it doesn't get anywhere, we'll try to get more from McGucket. For now, though, he's too unreliable."

"And?" Gideon has his hands pressed together, fingers splayed upward like a businessman considering an offer. "What else?"

He's startled, but he recovers quickly. "W-well, that's what we know. And we need to figure out what to do next." Turning to me, he nods. "Unless you've got something?"

I shake my head. Of course I've been thinking about it, but so far... what do I really have? The only thread I've even started to put together is that _maybe_ there's a pattern in the people that have vanished. But even that's not helping- what did McGucket and the tourist have in common, anyway? Nothing at all.

So... maybe it's not how they're alike. Maybe it's how they're different.

As I'm thinking over this new idea, Gideon is lazily turning over in the chair, so that he's completely upside-down. "Forgive me if I'm not flabbergasted by your research-gatherin' prowess, my friends, but that's not exactly- how shall I say- _useful_."

He starts kicking the top of the cushion, leaving his powdered hair to brush against the carpet. "Course it is," Robbie says indignantly. "We know a heck of a lot more now; they're in a specific place, that you can get in and out of. Plus, someone's doing this on purpose."

That one hits. I cough into my elbow, trying to disguise the shudder that runs through me. Out in the open, the idea somehow sounds a lot darker, even though Robbie said it so casually. What if there really _is_ someone out there, specifically hunting people down?

Before I can worry any more, Gideon lets out a high-pitched giggle. "So now you're trustin' the town lunatic!" He swings himself back up, and his laugh grows until he's practically gasping for breath. "Are- are y'all even _tryin_' to think this through? You've got nothin'!"

Robbie glares at him. "Look, I don't know if you're getting this. People are _missing_. Being logical and normal hasn't worked, all right? Maybe it's time to be a little paranoid."

Their argument continues, but my mind is on something else. If there's an actual person doing this- not worrying about the _how_ yet- then it would make sense that there's a pattern.

I'm close, I'm so close to _something_, but I don't know what. Not the answer, maybe, but just a step closer.

An idea jumps into my mind, and I blurt it out without thinking. "What if it's a message?"

They both stop, almost mid-sentence, staring. Oh well. Might as well keep going. "If the old man's right, there's someone behind this," I say slowly. "They're thinking, and we can assume they have a plan."

Gideon smirks. "Well, that's a bit of a stretch-"

"Shut up," Robbie says automatically, still watching me with a frown.

I point to Gideon. "Earlier, you said... you said it could be some kind of countdown. We have the books, and we-" Mind racing, I try to reclaim the thought. "Why didn't they take us? Obviously they can; we saw them take somebody in broad daylight. So why not us?"

Gideon tries to interject, but I'm in full-blown detective mode now, pacing the room and gesturing with my arms. "And besides, if it's that easy to make someone disappear, why didn't they just grab McGucket again, right after he escaped? I think they don't actually need him; they're trying to tell us something. Us, specifically. There's gotta be something about McGucket and that tourist guy. Do we-" I vaguely throw my hands up. "Do we know anything about him?"

Robbie rubs his eyes. "Well, no one knew him. It was his first day, right? And no one really knows much about McGucket, either. Maybe it's just people who wouldn't be missed."

Gideon is shaking his head in disbelief, but I ignore him. "I don't think so. Stan's pretty famous, and everyone knows Gideon's parents."

Nodding, Robbie seems just as focused as I am. "Alright, what about the old man? What do we know?"

Frustrated, I run my hand through my hair. "Um, he lives in the dump. He's crazy, or at least acts like it. Like you said, no one knows much about him, but everyone seems to know _of_ him- the guy's probably lived in this town longer than-"

That's it.

For just a second, the three of us are completely silent.

I glance over to Gideon, eyes wide. "I'd bet you the Shack right now that McGucket's lived in Gravity Falls longer than anybody else."

He sighs irritably. "Wouldn' that be nice. But I'm afraid I'm not seein' the point."

Before I can explain, Robbie does. "The tourist had only been here a day." In wonder, he looks up at me. "He'd been here the shortest amount of time."

I'm practically shaking with excitement. "Old and new. That's gotta be it; they're opposites."

Robbie's usual scowl has been replaced with the slightest smile. Grinning like a fool, I turn to Gideon, who's looking at the ceiling. "You really think that's the connection?" he says stubbornly. "I mean, one of 'em was in a suit, and the other was smelly. Could be anythin'."

Grunting, Robbie shakes his head. "No, I think he's right. Even if it's a coincidence, it's too important to ignore." He nods at me briefly. "Good job, kid."

At that moment, the smallest memory springs up in the back of my mind. Stan, laughing and ruffling my hair while I complain and try to scramble away. Wendy, lazily offering me a high-five. Soos, clapping my shoulder and telling me some dumb joke. My sister, hopping up and down and cheering.

I blink. "Thanks."

[]

Robbie's house has a much better view than the Shack. Our sky is mostly blocked by the forest, but here I can see thousands of stars, glittering and shining against the deep black of galaxies and light years. It's beautiful, but somehow intimidating.

I'm sitting on the porch steps when Robbie slinks out the front door. "Couldn't sleep?"

I nod. He mumbles an agreement, dropping down next to me. We're quiet for a while, taking in the Oregon air and faint insect noises.

"Listen, don't let that punk get to you." He leans back, resting his hooded head against the side of the house.

"Yeah." My voice must waver or something, because he glances over, irritated.

"You know we're gonna find them, right?"

I can't answer. He sighs, looking back up at the sky. After a pause, he says quietly, "It's like when you were having that panic attack."

Surprisingly, the mention doesn't affect me this time. "When I told you everything was gonna be fine, you didn't have a reason to believe me. But eventually, you just... did. Even without proof."

I wrap my arms around my knees. "How is this the same?" I ask bitterly. "We might never see them again."

He shrugs. "I guess. We don't have proof that they're safe, or somewhere we can find, or even alive."

Shocked, I turn to stare at him. He doesn't blink, doesn't look away from the night sky. "But they _are_."

A shooting star blazes silently across the heavens. The breeze slips past, ruffling my vest and causing me to fold my arms.

I take a deep breath. "I actually wanted to ask you about that."

"Shoot." He shuts his eyes.

"Back at the Diner, when I was... you know," I say quietly. "How'd you-"

A scraping, grating sound makes me jump. Robbie bolts up, staring back toward the house. "That's- that's the window," he says, more to himself than anything. Eyes wide, he darts to the door.

By the time I make it in, he's already flipped the lights on, and the entryway is empty. Gideon stumbles through the hallway, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "What's goin' on? You hear somethin'?"

"I- yeah," I say, distracted, trying to figure out which way Robbie went. I check the bedrooms along the hall, but every bed is empty, and I don't see anything-

_Every_ bed is empty. Oh no.

I find Robbie's in his dad's room, staring vacantly out the window.

This can't be happening. Part of my mind stubbornly insists that they were supposed to follow the pattern.

"I didn't see them," he whispers. "I didn't see him when he..."

He numbly reaches forward, closing the window. As it slides down, it scrapes loudly against the frame, finally falling into place.

I struggle to find my voice. "I'm sorry."

He turns, a blank look on his face. "It's- it's okay," he says quietly. I can hear the shaking in his words. "It's like I said. We'll find them." It's barely more than a whisper.

I desperately try to avoid thinking about it, the way I know he's feeling right now. I bow my head, turning to leave the room.

A figure is standing in the doorway.

Silhouetted against the hallway's light, I only have time to make out a few details before the creature swings its arm, knocking me to the ground. This person- if it even is one- is wearing a dark gray sweatshirt, hood pulled low to obscure its face, and I can barely see it in the shifting light. It strides purposefully across the room, and I raise my head to see Robbie ball his hands into fists.

"What, me?" He calls, blinking back tears. "You wanna take me too, you freak?!"

The hooded shadow flicks its hand out. Something slides into its open palm, and it raises its arm high, about to strike.

Something clicks in my head. I have no reason to think the idea will work. No proof. Just... a guess.

I run forward, pulling the journal out of my vest pocket.

The form hesitates, glancing back at me with its hidden face.

With all my might, I swing the book like a baseball bat. It connects with the creature's midsection, and it stumbles back, dropping the object to the floor. Robbie seizes his chance, grabbing the figure from behind and, turning, slamming it into the wall.

"What do you want, huh?!" he yells, pinning its wrists against the frames of the window. "What is it you want?"

I don't know how to describe what happens next. I can see Robbie, physically holding onto the shadow's wrists, grabbing the fabric of the sweatshirt just below its gloved hands. Suddenly, the whole thing goes limp, and Robbie's simply holding the flat piece of cloth.

Just like that. It's gone. As if the thing just fell backwards, or passed through the window or something.

I'm staring out the window at the faint starlight, but I can hear Robbie's choked sobs as he falls onto the bed, hurling the sweatshirt to the ground.

The exhaustion of the day seems to hit me all at once. I don't even have the energy to be shocked, or angry, or even to say something. Instead, I just kneel down, examining the object the shadow dropped. Even as I pick it up, the metallic circle seems to crumble, all but dissipating silently. Before long, there's only a streak of gray in my hand.

"Here." I look up to see Robbie, eyes red but dry, holding the sweatshirt out in front of him. "It's a clue, I guess," he mutters, voice breaking.

It's heavy, but seems to be a normal piece of clothing. One of the folds seems to have some kind of pale yellow line drawn in.

Trembling, I turn it over. Once the sweatshirt is spread out, I can see the symbol etched onto the back.

It's a triangle.

[]


End file.
